[[Music]]
Besides these old songs and tales there are a great number of new ones, and, indeed, almost every man has his own tune and his own song. A few of these become great favorites among the Eskimo and are sung like our popular songs. The summer song ([No. I]) and “The returning hunter” ([No. II]) may be most frequently heard. As to the contents of the songs, they treat of almost everything imaginable: of the beauty of summer; of thoughts and feelings of the composer on any occasion, for instance, when watching a seal, when angry with somebody, &c.; or they tell of an important event, as of a long journey. Satiric songs are great favorites.
The form of both old and new songs is very strict, they being divided into verses of different length, alternating regularly. I give here some examples:
[ARLUM PISSINGA (the killer’s song).]
Qiangalo taitoχalunga qolaralo taitoχalunga
Qiangalogalo qolaralogalo aisinaiisi
senilearaluqdjuara maliksiaqtuaqtugo
uvanaleunen audlatsiapiata kingodnidlaqdjuagung
qangatirgakulung uaijuvara.